CITY OF CAPE TOWN
15 AUGUST 2016
“STATEMENT BY THE CITY’S MAYORAL COMMITTEE MEMBER: TRANSPORT FOR CAPE TOWN, COUNCILLOR BRETT HERRON

City undertakes transport study to address commuter needs in far south

Transport for Cape Town (TCT), the City’s transport authority, has commenced with a transport study in the suburbs of the far south. The purpose of the study, among others, is to determine the current and future access needs within, to, and from these suburbs and to identify interventions to improve the worst congestion points in the short-term. Read more below:

The study is being conducted over a period of eight months and the information gathered will be used to develop a comprehensive transport plan for the area south of the Silvermine mountain range, inclusive of the following suburbs: Muizenberg, St James, Kalk Bay, Clovelly, Fish Hoek, Sun Valley, Sunnydale, Noordhoek, Capri, Masiphumelele, Ocean View, Kommetjie, Misty Cliffs, Scarborough, Red Hill, Dido Valley and Da Gama, Simon’s Town, and Glencairn.

First of all, the study is focusing on all current movement patterns in the far south, including private vehicles, public transport (such as buses, minibus-taxis, and rail), and non-motorised transport such as walking and cycling.

As far as the vehicle movement patterns are concerned, the study will dovetail with the City’s Congestion Management Programme to consider pressure points associated with the morning and afternoon peak-hour periods, as well as those pressure points that are associated with the summer holiday season.

The nature of traffic congestion will be assessed on all routes and in particular along Kommetjie Road (M65), Main Road, Ou Kaapse Weg, Chapman’s Peak Drive, the Glencairn Express Way, Main Road from Simon’s Town to Muizenberg, and Boyes Drive. In addition we will assess the capacity of the current road network in the far south.

The information will provide TCT with a holistic overview of the specific problems in the area such as the long delays caused by accidents on Ou Kaapse Weg, the limited alternative routes to and from the far south, and specific areas where the safe movement of commuters is compromised. Operational interventions to address these challenges in the short-term will be proposed once the study has been concluded and approved.

Furthermore, the study is focusing on the constraints and potential capacity of the southern railway service to and from the far south and the current road-based public transport services.

Secondly, information is being collated about the current land-uses (residential, recreational, business, etc.) and the existing land-use development rights which have not been exercised as yet, as future developments will determine movement volumes and patterns, the travel and transport demand, as well as possible transport solutions for the far south in coming years.
All existing transport infrastructure and plans will be assessed in the study, as well as the future plans of the major institutions in the area, such as the South African Navy, the Simon’s Town Dockyard and Table Mountain National Park.

The transport plan to be derived from the study must identify the most suitable interventions to meet the access needs to, within and from the far south, and must support the City’s development objectives for the area and for the city as a whole. The plan may make some recommendations for minor roads as well, and will aim to promote the increased use of public transport, walking and cycling.

TCT will use the plan as a guide for short-, medium- and long-term plans and the future roll-out of public transport as well as to engage with other role-players in the public transport realm such as the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa, the minibus-taxi industry and Golden Arrow Bus Services.

If all goes as planned, the City will host an open day within the first quarter of 2017 where the draft transport plan will be presented to the local residents and interested parties. Once completed, the final plan will be presented to the local subcouncil in Fish Hoek for approval.
End
Issued by: Media Office, City of Cape Town”

APPEAL FOR DONATIONS FOR LEGAL COSTS

The recent Gatvol Petition was signed by over 4000 Far South residents. We are all totally frustrated by the traffic congestion within, and in and out of our area, as it negatively impacts our daily lives. The City has acknowledged that utilisation of Ou Kaapse Weg has exceeded capacity. Yet the authorities continue to approve ever more development in the area targeting upper and middle income buyers.

Quoting the City’s own District Plan: “major new developments in the far south sub-district must be dependent on the availability of sufficient and adequate service infrastructure for the sub-district as a whole and to this extent Traffic Impact Assessments (TIAs) on major new developments should take into consideration traffic impacts …on key access routes out of the valley, and particularly Ou Kaapse Weg”.

Riverside Glen Extension (the first 107 of 400 houses) in Kommetjie has recently been approved based on a Regional Traffic Impact Assessment which does not meet the requirements of our District Plan. Right of appeal was denied. The Kommetjie Residents and Ratepayers Association (KRRA) have recognised that, if this development is allowed to go ahead, it will set a precedent that will open the flood gates for further development. There are already more than 4000 new dwelling units approved in the Far South, over 3200 of which are developer-driven new upper and middle class homes; and there are several thousand more in the pipeline.

Previous objections to irresponsible development have been ignored by the City. There has been no response from the Mayor as yet to the Gatvol Petition. It is now clear that the only way to get the City to follow its own plans and protect its own interests is to take legal action. The KRRA have obtained legal advice which indicates that there are reasonable prospects of a legal challenge succeeding.

As this issue affects us all, the Far South Peninsula Community Forum has undertaken to support the KRRA and assist in bringing this to the attention of all Far South residents. Legal costs are estimated at R350,000. Taking the crowd-sourcing model, we appeal to all to make a contribution, with a deadline of end July 2016.

Think of the future. Think of it with another 4000 ++ homes in our area – another 8000 cars on the roads. And the schools? The clinics? The social services? Law enforcement? This is our only chance to stop irresponsible development which benefits developers, and costs the rest of us time, money and health. How much are you prepared to invest to protect our area from the irrevocable chaos that results from over development? We owe it to ourselves and our children.

The Friends of Silvermine are having a sponsored walk to raise funds for the Riverine Rovers. This is a small band of enthusiastic members who care for the wetlands at the lower end of the Silvermine River. The walk is scheduled to start at the Silvermine reservoir, the main source of the river, and will end at the car park near the rail bridge in Clovelly.

The walk can be divided into three sectors:
1. Reservoir to Gate 1/2.
2. Gate 2 to Sunbird Centre.
3. Sunbird Centre to Clovelly over the Dunes.

Participants can walk the whole route or part thereof. The entire walk takes the average walker about 4 to 5 hours. If you do not want to get sponsors then just make a donation. Funds Raised may be deposited to FOSNA at Standard Bank Fish Hoek to:-Plus Plan Acc. No 07 385 231 7 Reference “Sponsored walk” OR cash can be handed over to Terry Rothwell at the start of walk.For more information please contact Terry on 021 782 6144 / 084 711 5416/3.

ALL RESIDENTS AND BUSINESS OWNERS IN THE FAR SOUTH PENINSULA
are invited to a meeting with officials from the City of Cape TownMonday 18 April, 18h00hrs Fish Hoek Town Hall

Residents are asking the City why traffic is at a standstill, why schools in the Far South are overflowing, why there are insufficient clinics in the area, and why the Far South is being neglected when it comes to public transport?

Why does the Mayor continue to approve new developments in the congested Far South Peninsula?

This is your chance to express your concerns and suggest solutions to City Officials. All are welcome.

The Far South Peninsula Community Forum is dissatisfied with the uncontrolled development occurring in the Far South Peninsula and the lack of attention (iro infrastructure, Ocean View and Masiphumelele) being given to the Far South Peninsula by the City of Cape Town.

We are not against development per se, but we believe that over-development and extending urban areas into areas not previously zoned for development – without the necessary infrastructure and facilities – is one way of killing off the Far South Penisula. It is our unique mountain and coastal topography that is the driver of our economy based on tourism and recreation and we do not want this to be destroyed.

The FSPCF has launched a petition campaign – “Gatvol Petition”. The purpose of this petition is two-fold:

-to get across to the City, the DA and the Mayor how we feel in the Far South Peninsula about some of their decisions;
-to raise local awareness in the area about the huge negative impact that current and future development will have/is having in the Far South Peninsula.You can read more and sign the petition here: http://community.avaaz.org/petitions/the-far-south-is-g-a-t-v-o-l

Table Mountain National Park Fire Management will commence prescribed stack burning in Sun Valley, Blackhill, Capri Village and other sections of the park this month.

Read more here:

PRESCRIBED BURNING IN TABLE MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK DUE TO TAKE PLACE IN COMING WEEKS

07 March 2016: Table Mountain National Park is in the process of obtaining a burning permit to conduct a number of biodiversity burns in various sections of the Park. These prescribed burns will take place between March and April 2016 under favourable weather conditions i.e. temperatures under 25°C with moderate winds of less than 20km/hr and 2-3 days after light rain has fallen.
Although we appreciate that such burning is a source of concern to Cape Town residents it must be stated that wild fires will occur and an uncontrolled fire could pose a huge risk to life and property on the urban edge. Therefore the removal of dry flammable material by means of a prescribed burn will reduce the likelihood of these uncontrolled wildfires from occurring.

Fynbos vegetation is both fire-prone and fire-adapted and the use of fire forms an integral part of the ecological management of the park. TMNP Fire Management Department together with the SANParks Cape Research Centre has developed a scientific Prescribed Burning Plan for the entire park.

The reasons for conducting prescribed burns in fynbos vegetation are:

a) To reduce fire hazards by reducing the unnecessary “fuel” accumulated in field as a result of Alien Plant Clearing operations
b) To rejuvenate the fire-adapted and fire-dependent fynbos vegetation
c) To form an essential part of control operations aimed at eliminating invasive alien plants

Two areas within the Cape Point Section
Black Hill from Sun Valley to Glencairn
Roodeberg in the Capri Village area

Residents in the adjoining areas of the park should be assured that Park management will do their best to minimize any possible inconvenience to adjacent households during the preparatory work and burning operations. When the burn takes place, surrounding residents are advised to please keep their windows shut while burning takes place. Flammable items such as gas canisters should be removed from outside areas and laundry should be taken off washing lines to prevent odour contamination from the smoke. (pets, asthma)

All owners and occupiers of adjacent properties have a right to lodge written queries/objections to the proposed open burning with the City of Cape Town. Kindly direct all queries or objections to the City’s Air Pollution Control section on Tel: 021 590 5200 via fax to 021 590 5215 or via email to Bronwyn.Davidson@capetown.gov.za

How to tell the difference between a prescribed burn and a wild fire:
It is important to note that a prescribed burn will only ever take place under the conditions as described above. Prescribed burning will never take place on days with strong/gale-force winds, and will not take place over weekends or public holidays. Should you see a fire that does not describe the above conditions, please contact the TMNP Fire Management Department at 021 689 7438/9.